The Process

The processing is done @ 2 different places the CIO in Sydney, Nova Scotia and the Visa Offices.

As a rule of thumb, one has to submit ALL the documents specified in the CIO checklist and the Visa Office checklist(these checklists include pretty much everything needed for a PR application to Canada), with the initial application to CIO, NS. One exception to the above may be the PCCs, as they will be asked for later by the corresponding visa office, although it’s makes sense to send it together with the initial application.

The below are the different stages of processing for applications received on or after June 26 2010 under FSW.

1. They crack open our couriers and do a initial documentation check for completeness and compliance of the application.
# Check if the application forms are all COMPLETELY FILLED, payments are OK, all required documentation are enclosed.
# Check if we have a valid 1 year experience in the claimed NOC(a part of the 29 occupations list)
# Check the CAP has been reached for that NOC yet.
# They accept the payment as submitted with the application and that’s the last stage of the completeness check.

2. If the application passes the completeness check, it’s put in the queue for the Eligibility Review. If not they send the application back stating the reason for return.

3. During the Eligibility Review, they check and award points for the 6 selection factors, including Education, Work Experience, Age, Language proficiency, Adaptability, Arranged Employment. In addition to these 6 factors, they check for the proof of funds as per the guidelines. They also do the background check for the above at this point before awarding points(eg, they confirm the Job duties comply with the requirements for that particular NOC and that the experience documents are satisfactory.

4. If the applicant gets 67 points or more, then his/her application will be transferred to the visa office identified by the applicant on the IMM 0008 for a final selection decision’. CIO will send out an email confirming this which will indicate a Positive Final Determination of Eligibility for processing. If the application fails Eligibility review, again CIO sends an email out to confirm the reasons for the same, and that they are initiating a refund of the processing fee.

5. Once an application receives a Positive Final Determination of Eligibility for processing from the CIO, applicants will be able to check the ECAS status of their application. We can use the application number/UCI number/Payment receipt number, all of which we can get from the email that CIO sends out, to check the ECAS status.

6. Once the file reaches the visa offices, the background checks and documentation checks are initiated for the application. They may request for an interview if they are not satisfied with the documentation provided.

7. Most VOs will send out a typical AOR email once they are ready to process that application, while some VOs are sending them out by normal snail mail. For example, New Delhi VO sends them by normal post.

8. The next step is the VO issues medicals, RPRF, PCC and PP requests as appropriate by post. For New Delhi VO, please expect a registered post for the same.

9. By the time the VO receives the medicals results, they would be done with the background checks and they will have initiated the security checks for the application.

10. Once the security checks are through, the passports are stamped and sent out. It is thought that they will also want to have the applicants’ passports in their hands before making a final decision.

11. There are certain variations of how the VOs work during the last stages, as to request for the passports, RPRF etc.,(New Delhi would prefer to request all of them(medicals, RPRF, PCC and PP) together in 1 go.

12. All refused skilled worker applicants, including those refused for non-compliance with processing requirements, will be sent or otherwise provided a formal refusal letter. The letter must:
• inform the applicant of the categories or circumstances under which the application was considered;
• provide a listing of the points awarded in respect of each selection factor;
• fully inform the applicant why the application has been refused.

Permanent link to this article: http://indiraprabhakaran.com/blog/fsw/the-process/

Welcome to the site :). First, congrats on your AOR :). There is no way they can straight away reject the application, in-case of some discrepancies with employment/POF etc., They will usually write to us ad give us some time(30 days?) to respond to that one. We have seen this for a handful of ND applicants so far. So, do not worry, as long as the info provided on the application and the documentation are genuine, we need not worry. Hope your receive medicals soon.
What is your forum name? Are you on the tracker?

it is gud on ur part to have put on website that helps lots of people in reaching their destiny. please help me with my case also with whatever u can.

NDVO has asked me for my passport/rprf is encashed and medicals are done. rprf was encashed on 1st june 2011. my noc is 4151 psychologist. throughout, NDVO hasnt asked for PCC to be submit from our side. so we didnt.

a) u think we should send the pcc of our own without them asking for it?

b) my husband had studied in canada for one year in year 2004. does he require pcc from canada also?

c) how much time u think we would get our passports back?

d) u think chances are there to get visa if medical/rprf/passports asked or still there can be anything left?

I assume you sent your PCCs already with your initial application?. It might take anywhere from 20 days to 6 months for the visas to get stamped and returned, so I suggest you hang on. Yes, there is a very slight possibility of rejection after passports request, but given that your RPRF is encashed, your chances of visa is 99.9% :).

This is a great blog. I am looking to relocate to Canada myself and havent started the processing yet. I am a software Engineer by profession. I see that the profession has been removed from the NOC list so cannot apply under the federal skilled program I guess. Do you see any alternative way for software Engineers or can you advice any good consultancy ??

i am very happy to see this site, this site is very helpful to me. indira i am passing in these days very critical situation . actually i am PR applicant from out side canada. i have apply under FSW Category. i am facing problem in interview section . immigration call to employer that day my owner was there and he pick up the phone call . he came to our company very ocationaly there and immigration guys said is here this name person works here or have worked here, he said not at all never he worked here. after this immigration said a mail and ask why this thing happen , explain it. we had submitted the explanation on the company letter head. after few days letter immigration said we will come again to verify to your employment. till date 10 month passout there is updation and no verification happen .

i just want to know that what will happen next and how much time they will take more to finalize to come again to verify my employment. i am regular employer of my company. i so worried to take my case what happen to me . is they will refuse my application , or how much time they will take to verify my employment.

We have also applied under FSW.We received following emails from CIC/CHC , New Delhi

1. Email for CIC, Nova Scotia – stating approval of our application , file nos and tat they have sent our file to CHC, New Delhi.

2. Received by post from CHC, New Delhi to submit, RPF Fees, Medicals, PCC and passport. Which was submitted to them on Dec 12, 2012

3. Received an email fro CHC saying that PCC from USA was not eligible and they wanted FBI clearance. This was then submitted on March 18, 2013

We had checked wth bank , DD has been encashed in Dec 2012. Ecas also stated medical has been received. We had sent 2 letters for updating our status as we came down specially to India from Africa for Visa purpose.

Please guide us if there is any other way where they can hear our grievance as our Visa for Africa also expires early next year. How long can they take?(do they reply to fax.)

hi mam i applied as a federal skilled work category/. immigration call on my employment place and ask from who pick up the phone of immigration this name person is working here or not that day owner father was there who doest not know my real name . he said that no this name person is not working after this immigration ask me to explain why this thing happen , after some time i have submitted a letter to immigration . immigration mail a paper and ask we will come again to verify your employment again . last 10 month pass out but there is no verification happen till the date . please suggest me how much time they will take more to finalize to my application .

I have filed my FSW in Feb 2, 2012. under 3142, Before my status says “In Process”. Today i checked another second line that says ” we have started processing on 9 january, 2014.

Please tell me what would be next?
As of now I am resigning from my exixting job from feb15. 2014. coz of my son is going to start his first school.

Little more my husband is deported from canada and my husband has received a letter in april 2013 for ARC submission and fees for ARC processing 400 dollars. He submitted the ARC application as per the deadline, after april in january 2014 my ecas status has been changed .

Mam,
My document was received by CIO on 4th Nov 2013 for FSWP NOC-2132 Mech Engineer. Now 104 days completed, I am yet to receive UCI/Acknowledgement from CIO. Could you tell more how many days it will take as per your experience.

I have applied for Canada P R in FSW on 19th June 2013. I have received letter to submit Medical,RPRF,Passport and PCC before 24/02/2014 at CHC New delhi. But due to some problem I was late by one day to submit and I submitted on 25/02/2014.

I have received the passport request from the New Delhi visa office. I received this request after my medical report was submitted by the hospital, last month. I just wanted to know, if there are any chances of Visa rejection at this stage?
I have paid all the requisite fees as well. The CIC website shows “Decision has been made”.

We received your application for permanent residence on June last week, 2013.

We started processing your application on December Mid week, 2013.

Medical results have been received.

On 2nd week of April 2014……I had my physical verification…..

HERE THE STORY BEGINS……

It was v difficult to satisfy them as they visited my office and start inspecting ……I came to know later that they are from VO….Unfortunately,A day before inspection day my laptop went wrong and I didn’t brought laptop on that day.Thus,I failed them to show my official email…….I requested them to wait for2-3 hours.i will get my laptop back and show my emails.But they refused as they told me that they have to visit more cases.

As other computers were also there but Outlook was not configured with my name.They asked me to open your emails in that system but We are not authorised to change Outlook without consent of IT.

But i didnt told this thing that I have 2 take Permission and we cant open in another sysyem…..I hope they must know thing as they are Master of all trades.

Afterwords they were looking for attendance register but as per our company policy,The person who has resolved any complaint in the day….that person’s name is automatically inserted in customer care data.I have shown him my subordinates name Online while checking the complaint data….but i didn’t went to any complaints ,Thus he didn’t found my name…I hope they understand that MY duty is to manage….not to visit….

Afterwards,V officers took me in another room and ask me some questions and need justification of every duty which i have written in Experience letter.and they also ask me about last meeting attended,how many employs under you,how many no of complaints in a day and all v minor things and cross verified with my subordinates.everything matches (rest VOr knows)

Afterwards,THey move out and say Good bye to me and said that they are not satisfied with me..I felt sorry and was v sad.

after 5 minuted,THey again came ,

More unfortunate thing happened, THey asked my DOJ……They surprised me by saying that Your employer has written DOJ in 2012 but my real DOJ is in 2007,In Year 2012,I got my Promotion.I request the VO to cross verify from employer as i have my salary slips from 2007.They called my Employer and ask the same And my employer said that its my Promotion date and he agree that I am working here since 2007.

he again start checking my almera for attendance register but he didnt find anything…..before opening he ask me whts in this almera.I told him that it has Maps of our commercial customers….He checked thoroughly…….and there were lying the maps only…

In the End,He again told me that he is not satisfied with me…..I was so depressed and sad…

IT WAS IN ALL 2 HOURS interview….

a week after I got proposal for an opening with higher salary but same designation & i hv changed my job but the duties and designation are same.

In july 22, 2014 my and wife’s passport got returned with letter saying-

YOUR PASSPORTS ARE BEING RETURNED BY REGD MAIL..WE SHALL REQUEST THEM WHEN REQUIRED.

plz share your views as now i hv received d letter and have to give answer within 30 days. so, please share your views….

At the workstation that you stated was yours, when asked to open your email, you then stated that you work from a laptop and that the workstation actually belonged to Parwinder Singh. When asked to show your laptop, you stated that it had broken down the day before.
– You refused to log into your email account to show any correspondence or reports that had been sent to you.
– You could not provide any documentary proof of your employment.
– There were inconsistencies between what you and other employees said regarding when the last meeting was held.
– There were inconsistencies between what you and the Data Max owner stated were your joining dates. When asked to provide the attendance register, you stated that you had none.
– You stated that work is captured in software and were able to show work in the name of Parvinder, but could not show anything with your own name on it. When asked again, you could not show anywhere on a computer or files where your name was mentioned.

respected mam/sir. i want know one thing.i have applied for fsw 2014. in my birth citificate there is no form number and registration number but the cetificate is orignal and registered in register. but they forget to put registration number on it.but have a signature and stamp of local registrar.is other all imortant information is on it.like birthdate father and mothers name etc. is there a big problem. can they refuse my file due to this. pls help me out of this.

Had applied for canada pr under fswp in Nov 2014 but got a mail from CIO sydney on May 13th 2015 that my application was incomplete & returned to my address via regular mail. But I have not received my documents which were also having original IELTS scorecard & Education assessment documents. I have written so many mails to CIO sydney but got no response. Pls advise what should I do to retrieve my documents.

I had applied for permanent residency under FSWC-2014 program on 4th November 2014 from India.

I had patiently waited for more than 3 months for an acknowledgement from CIO but when I did not get any communication, I wrote a mail to CIO Sydney on 28th Feb 2015. I got a reply from CIO Sydney on 13th May 2015 stating that my application was incomplete & returned with all attachments on December 11, 2014.

Surprisingly to my disbelief, neither I have received any documents till date nor any other correspondence.

Post that I have written umpteen request mails to CIO to look in to the matter & help me in retrieving my application along with the original documents but not got even a single revert from CIO till date & am in desperate need of my documents.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I have applied for fsw2014 under noc2172 on 9th,Dec2014.My dd for $1250 encashed on 5th,Feb2015.I got a refusal mail from CIC on 29th,Mar2015 stating that, I do not meet the required points.Only becoz they gave me 21points for my education,but as per my WES report ; i have recognised bachelors(4yrs) and recognised M.Sc(electronics) from India which equals to one year Graduate Study in Canada.As pee this i should get 22points for education. And also in the email,they mentioned they r not returning my fees,because the file put in process.

I applied in June 2014, got PER mail on 17 October 2014, Ecas showing – we started process of ur application on December 2014. Till date awaiting Medical Request. Applied for GCMS notes in June 2015. As per GCMS -pending documents are PCC, Medicals & RPRF.
Should I do upfront medicals and send rprf, pcc alongwith medical receipt to ndvo or just the pcc alone?

I have applied FSW application in Sep 2014 from U.K. I have done medical and paid landing fees as they requested. After that last month I received email, stated that you have upcoming interview. I ordered GCMS notes – they stated the interview reason is previous given A40 & USA visa refusal.
I got rejected in 2008 because of misrepresentation and officer put 2 year ban and I forgot to mentioned my USA visa refusal in my current application.

Dear Ms Indira
I read your blog and it looks very useful to me ..I have certain confusions if you can clear them one by one
1 : my husband is an engineer and managing energy and transmission projects at a multinational so we were chosen to apply for federal.skilled worker program under express system..there was no normal way..we just had to qualify for express system..so is this the right category??

2:anyhow I filled up the eligibility form where they asked for our ielts score and education and work experience. .my husband is the main representative here..anyways I filled up the form and it said we qualify to apply for express entry skilled worker program and gave us a reference number..

3: then I registered myself with the cic and before it took me to the form it asked me to put that eligibility reference number..I did that as well

4 : now the form is detailed and requires alot of info. The only confusion left is that we have to submit bank statement , ielts original score sheet and property papers and attested degrees with conversion , with the form??? Or we just fill the form and write down the worth of our bank accounts and property and education but do not submit the documents.then if our application is accepted then we should submit the documents ??

We have applied for PR for Canada under the Provincial Nomination Program applied in October 2015 under the new Express Entry Process. All payments have been paid including RPRF and PCC too is completed. We have received an AOR from Delhi Immigration. While we understand that the time frame for Visa is approx 6 months and that the communication from the VO is sent for medical, Passport and RPRF, we need to understand on a usual timeframe the Delhi VO takes to close any case

Madam,
My file receipt was acknowledged by Visa Processing office, Colombo on 14/02/2015. Later, in April 2015 the asked for additional documents for experience which I had submitted. In October 2015 I had been communicated to pay for RPRF fees and to submit Medical and Police Clearance report, which I had sent during stipulated time frame. In April 2016, VO asked for details of my residence and work history from the age of 18, that again I Had sent in stipulated time.
Later in September 2016, I sent an email requesting status of my application. In reply, department informed “Pending Security Review”.
Its already been 22 months since I had sent my application in the month of December 2014 or 20 months since I received acknowledgement of receipt from visa office, Colombo, or 12 months since I have provided Medical report and Police Clearance Certificate…… On CIC website, it mentions a time frame required for processing is of 18 months, however my application is under process since last 22 months.
I shall be highly obliged if you could please help me understand why and in how much more time I can expect final result…….
Awaiting for your response.

What will happened at CIO to those applications which are returned to applicants due to their NOC cap reached under which they lodge their application for permanent residence of Canada?

Is any information recorded in any CIC or IRCC immigration system viz. CAIPS, FOSS or GCMS for those applications which has been retuned due to NOC cap has been reached under the which NOC applicants lodge their application for permanent residence of Canada?